Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Finding Lubchenko and The Rise of Lubchenko by Michael Simmons

Start with a frustrated high school boy with a major attitude add a stingy, grouchy multi-millionaire father and you get a perfect excuse to steal technology tools from a medical business - the one your father owns. That is where Evan finds himself at the start of this story. Then things start to go wrong! A man is murdered at Evan's dad's work - and his dad is accused of the crime and sent to jail. That would be bad enough - but Evan just happened to steal the dead man's computer with his friend Ruben - and there is evidence on the computer to free his dad....

If he admits his crime his father will ground him forever and may even send him to jail. If he doesn't admit his crime his father may rot away in jail. Even though that is almost a pleasant thought for Evan, he does have a conscience.

Enter a mysterious email from Lubchenko asking the dead man to meet him at a cafe in Paris. Evan, Ruben and their friend Erika decide the only thing to do it take a trip to Paris - where they hope to find Lubchenko and get the information they need.

Oh did I forget to tell you that the company Evan's dad owns makes vaccines for different diseases...including small pox. And, there is the chance that the company is selling live small pox virus to a group of terrorists? That might be important.

Life for Evan is never what he thinks it is - but it is rather exciting - what with dead men, guns and evilterrorists...

The story continues in The Rise of Lubchenko. The Paris trip is over, even though horrible things (that I can't tell you about) have happened life seems to be returning to normal. Evan's dad is off on another trip leaving him at home, on the eve of a huge party Evan receives a phone call...a mysterious voice tells him that his dad's business partner, Mr. Richmond, is about to murder Evan's dad, Evan, Erika and Ruben.

The three decide the only way to stop Mr. Richmond is to find Lubchenko - again. So, off to Paris they go and then all over France, Switzerland and Belgium. And, I really can't tell you much more - because I don't want to give anything away. But let me tell you there is fear, gunfire, small pox virus and well...you just have to read it!

These are exciting books - sort of Bourne Identity-ish. Read them and let me know what you think!